Specter Signs The Public Option Letter

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) announced via Twitter today that he has signed onto Sen. Michael Bennet’s (D-CO) letter urging leadership to use reconciliation to pass a public option.

Specter is the 19th senator to do so. The most prominent signatory is Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate.

“I’m proud to sign Sen. Bennet’s letter. I support a public option to lower health costs and keep insurance co’s hones,” Specter tweeted.

Under reconciliation, such a measure would need 51 votes to pass. Majority Leader Harry Reid today released a statement about the letter.

The other signatories : Sens. Bernie Sanders (VT), Al Franken (MN), Patrick Leahy (VT), John Kerry (MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), Michael Bennet (CO), Sherrod Brown (OH), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Jeff Merkley (OR), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Roland Burris (IL), Barbara Boxer (CA), Jack Reed (RI), Tom Udall (NM), Barbara Mikulski (MD) and Frank Lautenberg (NJ).

Latest DC
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: